Du Jun, a former managing director of the Wall Street investment bank, also was fined about 23.3 million Hong Kong dollars - about $3 million Canadian.

Du was convicted of nine counts of insider dealing for trading shares of Citic Resources Holdings Limited before the company's announcement of an acquisition in 2007. He was also found guilty of a tenth related charge for helping his wife to deal in the shares.

The case marks the 10th conviction of insider trading since it was made a criminal offence in 2003 - part of Hong Kong's effort to tighten regulation as it seeks to retain its status as a leading financial centre.